


Zutara Week 2020, or: my arrival to this fandom 13 years late

by pearl_scribbles



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Zutara Week 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:28:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25536601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pearl_scribbles/pseuds/pearl_scribbles
Summary: A series of fics very hastily written for Zutara Week 2020, because I didn't know this was a thing until the first day. :) Oops. :)))Day 1: ReunionDay 2: CounterpartDay 3: FuseDay 4: CelestialDay 5: HesitancyDay 6: AffirmDay 7: Rebirth
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 79





	1. Day 1: Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of the final Agni Kai, Zuko finally has a moment where relief overpowers pain.

Everything hurt. Agni, everything _hurt._ Zuko couldn’t even open his eyes to see sunlight before the pain made itself known, spreading across his chest with every heartbeat and pulling a groan from him as he woke up. 

“Careful, Prince Zuko. You’re not the only one getting some rest.” 

The first thing he saw, once his eyes got used to the rays of sunlight beaming into the room, was a plump, smiling face. “Uncle?” 

“How are you feeling?” 

Zuko tried to push up to his elbows, only for his arms to spasm and give out under him. He instinctively searched for the source of pain, and his body cringed away from his own fingers when he prodded at the bandages covering his chest. The pain was different this time, sharp and precise, before fading into the same lingering throb that had woken him up. 

The jolt suddenly jogged his memory, images flashing across his mind like the lightning that had struck him. Sozin’s Comet, blazing bright against a red sky. Azula, hair falling jagged across her sweating face, golden eyes bright with bloodlust and gleeful rage. The Agni Kai, making his vision burn blue and orange while his resolve settled cold in his chest. Katara’s eyes, their blue turned electric even as they widened in horror. The sounds of her water and Azula’s fire clashing with loud sizzles and explosions while he lay there, helpless, useless. Katara’s hands sheathed with glowing water as she pulled him back from the brink of unconsciousness. His baby sister, chained to her knees and breathing blue flames even as she sobbed desperately, making him hurt more than any lightning bolt could. 

And then...nothing. 

“What happened after the Agni Kai? Is Katara ok?” This time, when Zuko struggled to sit up, he actually managed it, his anxiety powering him through the pain. Was she safe? Was he able to ensure her safety before he’d passed out again? Was she locked up somewhere in the Fire Nation prisons? Was she flying with Aang and Appa, checking on the whole world in the aftermath of the war? Was she back home at the South Pole, reunited with her grandmother? 

The last possibility was the ideal one, but for some reason, the thought of her suddenly being so far away made him ache with a pain that reached deeper than his wound. 

“Katara,” Uncle Iroh said softly, breaking through Zuko’s thoughts, “is getting some much needed rest, and might not appreciate being woken up. Though, I’m sure she’d be thrilled to see you awake.” At his nephew’s confused frown, Iroh nodded in the direction of the windows. 

There, curled up in a red, velvet chair, with a thin blanket crumpled on the floor and her neck crooked in a way that would definitely hurt later, was Katara. Her hair was falling out of her braid in frizzy curls, her lips were twisted in a small frown, her eyebrows were furrowed, and her eyes were fluttering under her closed eyelids from what must have been an eventful dream. 

She was a bundle of awkward angles and messy curls, and Zuko didn’t think he’d ever seen someone look so beautiful to him. He had to swallow hard before he could hoarsely ask, “How long has she been here?” 

“It might be easier to tell you when she _hasn’t_ been here,” Iroh hummed thoughtfully. “You’ve been out for almost a week, apart from the times you woke up just long enough for a bite of food. You were still feverish and delirious, so I’m not surprised you don’t remember that. But every time, she was there to feed you. I believe she only ever left to eat meals with the rest of the Avatar’s troupe, most likely to update them on how you were doing, and to gather more supplies from the healing house. She was up for almost two days straight by the time I got here and made her get some sleep.” 

“What?!”

“You’ve been waking up more often, which seemed like a good sign, but you weren’t quite yourself. It was as if you were still stuck in your dreams. Last night was particularly rough - it seems you kept your young lady awake with your sudden spouts of wakefulness.” 

“She’s not mine. She’s not...she’s not anyone’s,” Zuko grumbled, cheeks warm from the thought. “How long has she been asleep?” 

“I came in after breakfast, so perhaps...6 hours? I didn’t want to wake her for lunch.” Iroh’s smile was knowing as he watched his nephew. “If you wanted to wake her up, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind. She would be more upset if she missed your first hour of consciousness.” 

“...Alright.” It hurt to stand up, every movement somehow jostling his wound, but it was much more manageable now that he had been awake with the pain for a while. He moved as quickly as his broken body could to Katara’s side, one hand shooting out to clutch at the arm of the chair as soon as it was in reach. His other hand was much more gentle as he slowly reached out and carefully shook her shoulder. “Hey...Katara, wake up.” 

Katara mumbled something about Sokka and leftover seal meat, but didn’t wake up until he gave her another gentle shake. Then her eyes suddenly flashed open, and Zuko only had enough time to register their bright blue before his wrist was locked in an iron grip. “Who- Zuko?!” 

“Hi, Kata- _oof!_ ” Just as suddenly as she’d woken up, Katara had launched herself into his arms, her own arms wrapping tight around his shoulders. “You’re awake, Tui and La, you’re really _awake._ ” 

“From what my uncle told me, I have you to thank for that.” He was glad she couldn’t see the grimace on his face from the way her body had rocked into his injury. The pain was worth the feeling of her warm and solid in his arms, her tears of relief wetting his collar, her hair tickling the edges of his scar. 

“You saved my life, Zuko...it was the least I could do.” She pulled away much more carefully than she’d rushed in, her hands resting on his shoulders as she gave his body an appraising look that was at odds with the tears sticking her hair to her cheeks. “How are you feeling? You shouldn’t have gotten out of bed so soon.” 

“I’m feeling fine, honest. The injury still hurts, but mostly I’m just really hungry.” 

“I can arrange a late lunch for you two,” Iroh piped up from his bedside seat. “We saved your portion from lunch, Princess Katara, and Prince Zuko, you shouldn’t have anything too heavy right after waking up.” 

“General Iroh-” 

“Please, call me Iroh. Or Uncle, if you’d like!” 

“Then don’t call me Princess!” The exasperated smile on Katara’s face told Zuko this wasn’t the first time they’d had this argument. “I’m from the Southern Water Tribe, not the North. We’re too small to have a royal family, and we don’t have the money for one, either.” 

“You are the kind, smart, brave daughter of the proud chief of the Southern Water Tribe,” Iroh kindly argued, “hence, a princess. I will stop if it upsets you, or if you agree to stop calling me ‘General.’” 

“Princess suits you,” Zuko murmured. Katara’s eyes widened as they met his, and he couldn’t stop a pleased smile from curving his lips at the sight of her reddening cheeks. 

She only frowned back, though she couldn’t seem to hold it when she turned back to Iroh’s smiling face. “Fine, then... _Iroh,_ I can get the food. I need to let the others know Zuko’s awake anyway.” She gave Zuko’s forehead a little flick as she rose to her feet, before holding out her hand to help him up. “You better not be asleep again when we come back, or Sokka will never stop calling me a liar.” 

“I’ll do my best not to,” Zuko laughed as she carefully helped him sit at the small table in the room. 

“Good.” Her smile was genuine and kind, and maybe even a little shy, before she left the room. 

It was silent apart from the sound of her footsteps fading down the hallway outside, and soon, even that was gone. It was only then that Iroh spoke again. “Ah...I remember when the ladies would be that excited to see me.” 

“Uncle!” 

The old man laughed at Zuko’s reddened face, the sound filling the room with a warmth that was only rivaled by the sunshine. “I only jest, Prince Zuko. I’m just pleased you have found friends to care for you the way she has.” 

“Yeah…” He couldn’t have known how fond his smile was when his eyes drifted back to the doorway, and he didn’t notice the knowing tilt that had returned to Iroh’s grin. “Yeah, me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahaaaaaa brace yourselves, my dudes, because oh boy this week's fics are gonna be MESSY. Anyone who read my ShinKane Week fics will already know that everything I write is either hasty or late, or both, more often than not. Still, this is the first Zutara Week I'll be participating in (I didn't know about online fandoms when I watched the show growing up), so I really didn't want to miss it! Hope you enjoy!


	2. Day 2: Counterpart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trip to Yu Dao was supposed to be a chance for Team Avatar to reunite. But when word of an attack reaches Katara, she decides it's time to pay a visit to another old friend: The Painted Lady.

The plan had been threadbare at best. 

In her defense, she’d only been able to form it within a day of arriving at Yu Dao. Team Avatar was reuniting after almost a year, both to enjoy a rare weekend break and to check in on the coalition government that had formed after a civil war between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom had been narrowly avoided. Katara wasn’t sure how it counted as a break if Aang and Zuko were still going to be discussing politics and diplomacy with the merged Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom leaders, but it had been the only way to convince Zuko to leave the Fire Nation capital for a few days. 

“Don’t worry,” Aang declared cheerfully, “I’ll stop him if he tries to schedule more than one meeting!” 

“Oh sure, just stop the Fire Lord from Fire Lord-ing, that’ll work,” Sokka snorted. 

“Why not? I stopped a war from breaking out in Yu Dao! Even Zuko’s stubbornness can’t compare to that!” 

“You stopped the war by going into the Avatar state and turning this place into an _island_ ,” Toph reminded him. “I hope you have a better plan than that for Sparky.” 

A new island hadn’t been necessary this time, but Aang did end up needing everyone’s backup to convince Zuko to take a real break for once. “Seeing the Fire Lord spend a peaceful vacation here with the Avatar and legendary Earthbender Toph Beifong will do more to ensure peace among the people than a bunch of meetings!” Aang insisted. “And it’ll show the leaders that we trust their leadership. We take one day to check in on everything, and then we take the rest of the weekend off!” 

It wasn’t until after Zuko had grudgingly agreed that Toph muttered, “So about us spending the weekend _peacefully_ …” 

“Toph-”

“‘Peaceful’ is almost the same as ‘boring’! I wanted to meet up with some other benders, do some sparring, show off how useful and _real_ metalbending is! I can’t do that peacefully!” 

“You can do that without causing chaos!” 

“Then it’s not as fun, Sugar Queen!” 

Needless to say, Toph wasn’t left to her own devices for most of the trip. 

Still, Katara had been looking forward to a weekend of relaxing and catching up with her friends, hear how their travels had been and how their respective nations were doing. She was even anticipating chatting with Aang, now that their breakup was a couple of years old and they were able to hang out like they used to. That went out the window during her shopping trip with Suki.

They had been paying for some decorative fans when Katara overheard a conversation between two old men who were smoking on the side of the street. 

“How has your granddaughter been?” 

“Ah, she’s been better.” 

“Uh oh.” 

“She’s alright, but...did you hear about that girl who was attacked a few nights ago?” 

“Sure.” 

“That was her best friend. Now the poor thing’s terrified to go out after dark. Wife’s happy about it, because it means she gets to spend more time with her. But she ain’t the same. She hasn’t been sleeping well, and she’s not as talkative. It’s as if she feels guilty to be enjoying herself while her friend’s still healing from the attack.” 

“Hey, it sounds like she’s a good friend.” 

“She is. I just wish this wasn’t how she felt she had to prove it.” 

Katara instinctively moved to ask for more information about the attack from the old men, but she could barely take a step before Suki grabbed her arm and gently tugged her back to her side. “Don’t. Let’s wait and see if the police have said anything about the attack. Then we can work from what information they already have, instead of questioning some old men.” 

She was right, of course she was right, but the need to do _something_ made Katara restless for the rest of the day. By the time the whole group was reconvening over dinner, she was practically bursting at the seams to ask Zuko and Aang if any officials had mentioned the attack. 

“Oh, yeah, when we met with the police chief, she said there’s been a lot less violence than before,” Aang answered, “but the violence that does happen is a lot worse.” 

“Do they have any leads? Do they know what happened to her?” 

“They wouldn’t give us many details,” Zuko murmured, his face looking strangely impassive compared to the frustrated frown Aang wore. “They want to respect the girl’s privacy. But they said they don’t have much to go off of for leads. There really isn’t much that they know about his appearance, just his height and the fact he’s a man. Their only real option right now is to have more security on the street in the hopes that someone will see something before he has the chance to strike again.” 

“That’s it?” Katara demanded. “They’re just going to hope for the best? Isn’t there anything we can do while we’re here?” 

“We can’t overstep our authority like that,” Zuko reminded her. “The whole point of this trip was to prove that the new government can protect the people and meet their needs. In this case, that means they need more time.” 

Katara opened her mouth to argue some more, but something in Zuko’s eyes told her he was just as frustrated as she was, if not moreso. Fine. If he was going to keep up appearances in front of the team, then she’d corner him later. 

_Or…_ She fought to keep her face just as impassive as Zuko’s when an idea struck. _Or I can take this into my own hands...let an old friend take care of this._

And that’s how she found herself carefully extracting Suki’s Kyoshi Warriors makeup out of her bag to use some of the red pigment. Even though it had been years since she’d drawn the stripes of the Painted Lady on her skin, her fingers still found the patterns easily, as if she’d never forgotten the makeup from that week in the village. It didn’t take long for her to scrounge together a hat and some material to create the draped dress and veiled hat, and she was ready in a matter of minutes. Looking in the mirror really was like seeing an old childhood friend - the image was familiar, but grown up and taller, looking more like the spirit she had met once. 

As for her plan...she would have to bloodbend. The thought made her skin crawl, but it was the best way she could stop a potentially-large man from overpowering herself and whoever was his target for the night without revealing herself to be a waterbender. And she wouldn’t try to hurt him, just freeze his movements until the girl escaped. Then she would knock him out and take him to the police.

So...a threadbare plan. One that she questioned even as she dashed across the Yu Dao rooftops and glanced down into the alleyways. But she wouldn’t allow herself to turn back, no matter what, and besides...half of their time preparing to face Ozai was spent acting on flimsy plans. 

She couldn’t deny the fact that she’d missed the sense of power and purpose she felt when she was really taking action, getting out there and solving problems with her own hands, not just with wordy diplomacy. And she’d forgotten how strong she felt as the Painted Lady, the freedom that came with shedding her own identity when she donned the red stripes and veiled hat. 

A distant scream snapped her attention back to the task at hand. It was short, barely given voice to before it must have been muffled, but it was enough. Katara shot across the rooftops, hardly registering the roughness of the brick tiles on her calloused feet, somehow finding her way to the confrontation with just that short scream. It wasn’t long before she was dropping into an alleyway, knocking away a man just as he had shoved a young woman into the wall at the end of the alley. 

“Who the fuck-” he spat as he scrambled to his feet. He fell silent when he got a good look at Katara, and she let him, lifting the brim of the hat just enough for her to watch his expression change. She hadn’t been sure if the legend of the Painted Lady had reached the colonies, but the way his face paled told her he was at least passingly familiar with the story. _Good._ “How-”

That was all she allowed out of him. The word had barely left him before he froze, arms twisting behind his back in a way that was disjointed, but not unnatural. Katara couldn’t say the same for the way the bloodbending stance felt to her, the firmly planted feet and awkwardly bent arms feeling foreign compared to the smooth, flowing movements of waterbending. But she held her position, only moving her neck to look back at the girl.

She looked young, couldn’t have been much older than 15, and was curled up on the ground, clutching her torn hanbok while silent tears flowed down her cheeks. Katara’s heart ached at the sight, and she had to fight to steady her own voice before she murmured, “You’re safe now. Are you hurt? Do you need healing?” The girl shook her head, but didn’t get to her feet, staring at the Painted Lady with brown eyes that were wide with fear. “Alright. Stay with me, I’ll walk home with you once we turn him in.” This time she got a nod, and not much else. 

Katara turned back to the assailant just as a scared yelp escaped him. This time it was her own eyes that widened in surprise and fear, as they fell on a blue mask twisted into a ghoulish smile. It was attached to a body completely clothed in black, and wielding two curved swords that were now hooked around the assailant’s neck. “Who are you?!” 

The masked shadow stilled, simply staring at her in silence. Katara was opening her mouth to repeat the question when they suddenly jerked the assailant around to face the entrance to the alley. They stayed silent, only turning to jerk their head at Katara in an invitation to follow them. 

Well...an argument certainly wasn’t an option. 

She and the girl followed at a distance. Katara kept her arm around the girl’s shoulders, her other hand gently rubbing her arm in what she hoped was a soothing manner. The further they walked, the more she could feel her slowly relax into her embrace, eventually letting her head rest against her shoulder. “You’re ok,” Katara murmured, giving her a gentle squeeze, “We’ll get you home safe.” 

The masked shadow kept a steady pace, never once removing the swords from the assailant’s neck, and only ever looking back to make sure Katara and the girl were still following them. They only stopped once they reached the police station, where the shadow kicked the door by way of a knock. A bleary-eyed officer opened the door only to get the assailant shoved into her arms, sending her stumbling back a few steps. That’s when the shadow fully turned to Katara, and gave another jerk of a nod, this time clearly telling her to explain the situation. 

“Um...we found the attacker. He was just about to attack this girl before we stopped him. I’m going to take her home - if you have any questions for her, they can wait until tomorrow. For now, just make sure this man is locked up.” 

“O-of course, but who-?” 

“Good night, officer.” Katara began leading the girl down the street with a murmured, “Let’s get you home. And you-” she looked back at the shadow, who was still standing in front of the station “-you’re coming with us.” 

She half-expected them to refuse, just disappear into the night as suddenly as they’d appeared. But they obeyed, following them at a distance like they had on the way to the station. It made the back of Katara’s neck prickle with the uncomfortable feeling of being watched, but she didn’t acknowledge them again until the girl was safely delivered home. 

“Follow me.” She could hear their quiet steps behind her as she lead them to a different alley almost plunged completely in darkness. When they were far enough into the alley for the street lights to stop reaching them, she whirled on the shadow. “Who in the names of Tui and La are you? There haven’t been stories of the Blue Spirit in years, why are you appearing now?” 

She was met with silence once again, and again she wondered if they hadn’t heard her at first. She definitely wasn’t expecting them to suddenly step in close, reaching out to lift the brim of her hat until they could meet her eyes. It was uncomfortable on so many levels, as Katara suddenly became aware of multiple things at once: the distinctly male body hovering inches away from hers. The strangeness of staring into black spaces where there should have been eyes. The likelihood of her ruse being completely up. The odd gentleness with which he handled her hat. And...the smell of him, a familiar combination of a deep cologne and smoke. 

Her breath caught at the fragrance, leaving her with just enough air to breathe, “I...I know you.” 

More silence, but now she could tell he was balancing his options. Would he stand his ground and confirm her suspicions? Or would he vanish into the night the way she’d expected him to so many times before now? Maybe she was wrong, and that cologne was just a coincidence. But a part of her knew, deep down, that her intuition was right. “Zuko...I know it’s you.” 

His silence was broken by a deep sigh, the sound so familiar to her that she couldn’t keep a small smile from her red lips. He stepped back just enough to be able to peel off the mask, finally revealing those golden eyes, one framed by twisted red scar tissue. “Hey, Katara. Or should I call you Painted Lady?” 

“I’m not sure the real Lady would appreciate that,” she laughed softly, sobering quickly as she stared at him. “It’s really you. All this time?” 

“...Yeah. It’s been a while, but...yeah.” 

“Does anyone else know?” 

“Uncle, of course, and...Aang. He found out when I rescued him from Zhao.” He reached up to gently brush the veil over the brim of the hat, separating the cloudy barrier between their gazes. “What about you?” 

“Everyone except Suki. They helped with scaring off the Fire Nation soldiers and factory workers from the village.” 

“I always wondered if you had something to do with that,” he murmured, an almost-proud smile on his lips. “It sounded like something you would do.” 

“You know me so well.” She couldn’t stop a shiver from running through her when he gently brushed her cheek, smearing some of her red paint onto his fingers. He didn’t pull away, just let his smile grow at the messy stripe that must’ve adorned her cheek now. 

“For a Fire Nation legend, the Painted Lady looks good on you.” 

“You flatter me, Your Majesty,” Katara scoffed. “So...what do we do now?” 

“If you wanted...this could be the start of a vigilante partnership?” 

“Because no one will notice that the Blue Spirit and Painted Lady seem to follow the Fire Lord and his Southern Water Tribe ambassador.” 

“A guy can dream, right?” 

The words were so blunt, so simple, so _Zuko,_ that Katara felt herself finally relax with a laugh. The Blue Spirit was just another title for him, another identity he donned when a young man couldn’t be trusted with a problem. But he was still Zuko underneath it all, and the thought made a sense of fondness and pride swell in her like a warm bubble. 

She took his hand in hers, spreading the red paint onto her own fingers with a smile. “Let’s just keep each other’s secret, and...see where we go from there. Deal?” 

His fingers fit between hers like they were made for each other, and she could only hope her blush was hidden by her face paint at the feeling of his grasp tightening with a soft squeeze. “Deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case it wasn't obvious, I'm not good at writing politics. Even worse when I'm churning out political talk in one day without any edits. Still, I will never not be a sucker for the idea of the Painted Lady and Blue Spirit running into each other, even if that means creating some convoluted coincidences for it to happen! 
> 
> This prompt was such a perfect excuse for it too! They're truly perfect counterparts of each other: they're both secret identities donned to solve problems they wouldn't otherwise be able to fix. They both make relatively rare appearances. And their emblematic colors are the main colors of their opposite: the Painted Lady red for Zuko, the Blue Spirit blue for Katara. I love it so much, let me have this lol


	3. Day 3: Fuse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko and Katara take advantage of the little time they have together in their busy lives, and spend it in the best way they know: a good old-fashioned sparring sesh.

If there was one thing Katara made sure to never forget from her brief tutelage under Master Pakku, it was the importance of practice. It was rare for a day to pass without her convincing someone to spar with her, whether she was going against Sokka’s sword and boomerang, Suki’s fans, Toph’s earth, or, if she really wanted a challenge, Aang’s special combination of all four elements. 

But her favorite sessions would always be the ones she had with Zuko. They were somewhat rare, as would be expected for sparring sessions between the Fire Lord and the Southern Water Tribe ambassador, but any day that they found spending together would usually begin or end with a good-natured fight. 

Their fights were usually at dawn or dusk, partially because that was the only time their busy schedules would allow, but mostly because they enjoyed seeing the way each other’s powers ebbed and flowed with the sun and moon. As the sun rose, so, too, would Zuko’s fiery arcs, but when the moon replaced it, the fight glittered with the moonbeams reflecting off of Katara’s water. 

Their sparring sessions usually found them in the Royal Palace gardens. Katara could often find Zuko staring into the turtleduck pond’s waters, his unscarred eye looking heavy with exhaustion until he noticed her at the garden’s entrance. He would brighten up considerably when he saw her, but she couldn’t forget how tired he always looked. That’s how he ended up being the one to suggest the sparring a year ago. “The Fire Lord can’t let his firebending get rusty!” 

“The Fire Lord also can’t look ready to drop on the spot, but here you are.” 

“Kat-” 

“Come on, Zuko, you’ve already had a long day. I don’t want to add to it by beating you up in a spar.” 

“That’s not- hang on.” His eyes narrowed at her. “Who said anything about _you_ beating _me_ up?” 

“What was that you said? ‘You rise with the moon, I rise with the sun’?” Katara made a show of squinting up at the moon, which was approaching its full state. “You’re already barely awake, fighting you in that state and with the moon in the sky just wouldn’t be fair, Your Majesty.” 

She only ever called Zuko by his title when she was teasing him, and he frowned at her playful smile. “Alright then. Tomorrow, at dawn. We’ll start with the moon in the sky and end with the sun. Unless you’re scared to fight me when the sun’s up.” 

Now it was Katara’s turn to frown at him, her blue eyes flashing at the challenge in his smug grin. “And here I was looking forward to a nice chat tonight. You’d better go to bed, Your Majesty. I wouldn’t want you to still be tired in the morning.” 

“So you accept?” 

“Oh, you’re on.” She shoved her hand between them to shake and seal the deal, and he was quick to oblige her, grinning despite her tight grip. But just before she could pull away, he quickly turned their joined hands and brushed a kiss to the back of her hand, making her freeze in surprise as he continued to grin. “See you in the morning, Ambassador Katara.” 

“...You too, Zuko.” 

That kiss on her hand never left the back of her mind, the image of his lips brushing her skin always projecting itself when she prepared herself for another fight. After a year of periodic sparring, he hadn’t repeated it, and she wasn’t sure if she was relieved or disappointed. 

No...no, she knew she was disappointed. But she was also relieved to be able to avoid a more overt rejection. 

“Woah, you’re early.” 

The familiar, gravelly voice made Katara jump as she was snapped out of her reverie, her gaze darting to meet Zuko’s. His eyes looked more silver than gold in the early morning moonlight. “Yeah...I woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep.” 

His brow furrowed at the weariness lining her eyes, but she didn’t give him a chance to ask how she was doing, jumping to her feet with a sunny smile. “Ready to go?” 

“Whenever you are.” 

They slid into sparring position with matching grins, and they were off. A stream of flames arched towards Katara, only to be cut off by a stream of water flowing from the turtleduck pond. A dulled icicle spear melted inches from Zuko’s shoulder. Katara found her feet leaving the ground a few times as fiery whips flicked at her toes, and she countered with a small slick of ice forming just as Zuko stepped forward. 

“Oh, come on!” he shouted as he stumbled on the ice, his fire fading in midair when his arms pinwheeled to keep him on his feet. “That’s not fair!” 

“I’m sorry, is it getting too hot for you, Fire Lord? Should I cool you off?” 

Zuko’s eyes widened in realization, and in the next second he was flipping back, a ball of water splashing right where he had been standing. He had barely gotten back on his feet when ice formed around them, locking them to the ground. 

Katara didn’t even try to keep the smug smile off her face when Zuko’s indignant gaze met hers. She even let herself step a bit closer, leaning in until she could feel his hot breath against her sweaty face. “I win.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“What?” 

The word had barely passed her lips when she found herself on the ground, Zuko’s knees pinning her legs under him while his hands pressed her wrists into the damp earth. It was his turn to lean in with a smug smile, his sweaty hair brushing her forehead as he hummed, “Fire doesn’t just come from my hands, Kat.” 

“Ok, fine, can you get off me now?” She was suddenly all-too-aware of how close he was, each of their breaths making their loose clothes rustle against each other, the heat of his exercising body making her cheeks redden. 

“Only if you say I win.” 

“What? Since when was that a rule?” 

“Since just now, when you incorrectly declared yourself as the winner.” Zuko’s smiles rarely had such a mischievous tilt to them, and Katara could feel her heart skip a beat at the sight of it now. “This is your punishment. Say I’m the winner.” 

“Alright, fine...you win, Zuko.” 

She didn’t know what possessed her in the following moments. Maybe she just snapped, after all the times they were so close, yet still so far from the touches she longed for. Maybe this was her misguided version of revenge for the ghost of a kiss on her hand that had haunted her for a year. Or maybe this was inevitable, a culmination of all the years of push and pull that they’d been dancing through. 

The cause didn’t matter, because the effect was still the same: Katara craned her neck up and pressed her lips against Zuko’s in a quick, hasty kiss, their lips fitting together for just a moment before she relaxed against the ground again. 

Neither of them moved for a few seconds, just stared at each other as if neither could quite believe what had just happened. Katara’s sole source of comfort was the blush creeping across Zuko’s face, matching her own burning cheeks. 

He was the one to break the silence. “What...what was that for?” 

“I...I just wanted to?” She cringed at how pathetic the answer sounded. “I’m sorry, I’m really really sorry.” 

“You’re...sorry?” 

“I shouldn’t have done that out of nowhere, I didn’t even know if you’d be okay with that-” 

“Do you regret it?” 

Katara stopped mid-sentence at the question. Did she regret it? Did she regret kissing her friend of so many years? Did she regret crossing the line they’d been toeing for so long? Did she regret ruining the friendship they’d built from the ground up? “Only...only if you didn’t like it.” 

“Okay.” 

His lips were back on hers, in a kiss that was slower and gentler, that let her truly soak in the feeling of their lips moving against each other. A small moan escaped her as his hands released hers, coming up to cradle her face. She responded by running her tongue along the seam of his lips, making him suck in a surprised gasp before he opened up for her. 

She felt dizzy, she felt alive. She felt like she was flying, she felt like she could melt into the ground. Her blood ran hot while her sweat cooled on her skin, and her hands grasped at the back of his shirt with a rough demand that was at odds with his gentle caress of her face. His tongue felt at home stroking into her mouth, like he was always supposed to be a part of her, and she suddenly wanted to press her bare skin to his until they were fused together, with no way to know where she ended and he began. 

Time seemed to slow down, every second only ticking by when they gasped for air, and yet the kiss felt criminally short when Zuko pulled away, his forehead resting against hers. She kept her eyes closed until he pulled away more, enough for her to meet his eyes without going cross-eyed. “So...I guess you liked it?” 

A scoff of disbelief coughed out of Zuko. “That wasn’t clear enough for you?” 

“I wouldn’t mind some more clarification.” 

This time his laugh was filled with genuine joy, and Katara was torn between wanting to listen to it forever and wanting to cut it short with another kiss. “Maybe we can arrange that later. For now...I’d really like to not give a show to the rest of the palace.” 

It was only then that Katara realized, in a wave of mortifying clarity, that the sun had long since replaced the moon in the sky, bathing the garden in a golden light that would only get brighter in the next few minutes. Zuko was right: if they did anything else in the garden, it would be in the light of day, for any passing servant to see. 

Her widened eyes must have betrayed her realization, because Zuko finally lifted himself from above her and held out a hand to help her out. “Thank you for a good fight, Ambassador Katara. Hopefully we can have another try tonight.” 

_Tonight, hm?_ “I look forward to it, Your Majesty.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol this fic ran away from me and ended up not being all that relevant to the prompt for today, but whatever, here it is anyway. I will never get tired of (attempting to capture and) writing the banter between these two, they truly work so well both as buddies and as a couple, i.e. the Best Type of Romance!!!
> 
> I didn't have a specific time frame for this to take place in, but I guess I ended up imagining them being 18/20 or 21/23 in this? So...basically around my age lol oops


	4. Day 4: Celestial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Turning was a curse on the waterbenders of the chief's lineage, making Katara the first in generations to deal with it. But when she gets a little help from a friend, it begins to feel less like a curse.

There was a high and a low with each month. 

There was the full moon, of course. As the image of the moon grew, Katara could almost feel herself coming alive with each night. When the full moon finally arrived in all its glory, her blood was singing in her veins, and she would spend her night outside, letting her powers arc and twist in the air. 

But if the full moon was her high, the new moon was her low. For most of her life, it just meant that water bending was more difficult, and she felt an exhaustion that reached her bones. Then she turned 17, and her grandmother pulled her aside for a word of warning. 

“You don’t have to worry about this until you turn 18, little bird, but I wanted you to know about it ahead of time.” 

“What is it, Gran-Gran? Are you ok? Are you sick?”

“No, love, don’t worry about me. This is about you.”

 _Oh no. Is this The Talk? Doesn’t she remember the first time we had it? Doesn’t she know I hit puberty years ago?!_ “Gran-Gran, I already-“

“Let me finish before you ask questions,” her grandmother laughed, giving her cheek a teasing pat. “This is a bit more...mystical than anything we’ve had to discuss.” 

That made Katara quiet down, blue eyes wide as her grandma told her something she’d thought was just legend: the Turning. It only affected waterbenders in the chief’s lineage for some reason, which was why it hadn’t been a concern in the Southern Water Tribe for decades. But with Katara coming of age next year, they would have to begin making preparations on how to protect her, give her privacy, and make sure she would be in an environment safe for her animal form. 

Because there was no way to know what she would turn into. That was the scariest part. That was the part that required a year of preparation for. The first time would be the hardest. The first time would be the scariest. And when it was over, it would just be a monthly routine, something she might dread, but would know how to handle it. She’d be fine. 

And she was, for a time. The year passed, and so did her Turning. She found a routine, learned where to be, how to prepare. The biggest problem soon became her daily life. The life of an ambassador, of anyone in politics, wasn’t known for its routine. Emergencies happened, last minute meetings were scheduled, and big trips across the world couldn’t easily be moved if they happened to fall on a new moon. 

Which was how 19-year-old Southern Water Tribe Ambassador and Waterbending Master Katara found herself in the Fire Nation Capital on the new moon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zuko noticed something was strange at breakfast. Katara was never the fastest eater - Sokka would always hold that title - but she was rarely the last person at the table. But that morning, she sat picking at her food, leaning heavily on the table with an exhaustion he hadn’t seen from her in a long time. 

He didn’t say anything until they were alone at the table. He sent the servants off with a silent wave and smile, before sliding into the seat next to her. She didn’t notice until he gently placed a hand on hers, stilling her fidgeting and making her jump. “Spirits! You scared me!”

“Sorry, sorry!” he laughed softly, but sobering quickly. “Is everything alright? I can’t remember the last time I saw you look so distracted.” _And tired,_ he added silently. 

“I...I’ll be ok,” she murmured with an unusual hesitancy. “Just...I have a weird favor to ask.” 

“Anything.” 

“Is there…a private body of water nearby? The ocean would be ideal, but I don’t know if there are any quieter beaches around the capital, even at night.”

Zuko blinked in surprise. Sure, it was a strange question, but what was stranger was the fact that she seemingly forgot about the palace garden. “We have the turtleduck pond. I know it’s not big, but we can close off the space and make it private. You know you’re always welcome there.” 

“I know, and I appreciate that, but...I was thinking more private? If possible?” 

_More private…_ It really didn’t get much more private that the palace garden, but then again, Zuko was beginning to get the impression she needed water for something she didn’t want anyone else to see. No friends, no family, and certainly no servants or other regular citizens. Which only left… “There’s a tiny, rocky beach a little north of the main harbor. It’s been ages since I’ve visited, but it should still be there. It’s a little far, but with mongoose lizards, we should get there in a little less than an hour.” 

“...‘We’?” 

Embarrassment prickled through Zuko at Katara’s raised brows. “Well, sure...you’re going to need some help getting there, right? And you shouldn’t wander around alone anyway.” She continued to hesitate, clearly mulling over every other option she had, until he gently nudged her with a smile. “Come on, it’ll be a little field trip. For old time’s sake.” 

That finally made a smile stretch across her face, and as they left the dining hall and made their plans, she looked considerably more relaxed than she had all morning. 

They met a little more than an hour before sunset, which gave them enough time to acquire mongoose lizards and negotiate being able to ride without guards. After an uncomfortable amount of mild lies about staying within the city walls, they were off, black cloaks tucked close around their bodies and hoods tugged over their heads. Katara had a large, sealskin sack slung over her shoulders, which she explained only as having the things she’d need for her mysterious event. Zuko didn’t think much of it, as he had his own sack with food and water for himself and the mongoose lizards, a change of clothes, and a thin pillow and blanket for the night. 

Their conversation was easy, though shallow, for most of the ride. She updated him on how the rebuilding of the Southern Water Tribe was advancing, and how she, herself, was doing. He told her about his travels and the nostalgia he felt during most of them for the relative simplicity of their Team Avatar days. It wasn’t until they could see the ocean on the horizon that she finally, reluctantly, told him why they were going to the beach. 

“A Turning?” he repeated when she was done. “Every new moon? Does anyone else know about this?” 

“Just my family, and some of the tribespeople.” Zuko wasn’t sure if she was blushing or if the orange glow of the coming sunset was lighting up her cheeks. “I’ve usually been able to handle it pretty well by myself, especially since we’re usually near some water. But here...the only part of the ocean that I could reach was the harbor, and I didn’t really feel like transforming at my weakest in front of the army. No offence.” 

“None taken,” he said, laughing at her wry grin. 

“Anyway...this will be the first time I’ve had anyone with me since my first Turning. I’ve gotten used to being by myself.” 

“I can leave, if you want. Come back for the ride back.” 

“Zuko, the Turning will last all night. I wasn’t expecting you to stay. Now I know how to get back to the palace from here, anyway, so I can get back by myself.” 

“Katara, I don’t want to leave you alone out here. I’m alright with waiting.” His face warmed under Katara’s wide eyes, and he wasn’t sure how to react to her surprised gratitude. 

She didn’t speak for a moment, and when she did, her voice was soft. “Then...then you can watch. If you want. It’s alright with me.” 

As she finished speaking, they reached the edge of the cliff that dipped into the solitary beach, saving Zuko from needing to respond to her shy invitation. “Alright, we can get down there by foot from here.” 

“Really? How?” Katara’s lips curved into a dubious frown as she peered down the sheer cliffside, and Zuko had to bite back a laugh. 

“I’ll help you. It wouldn’t be very secret if it was easy to reach.” 

There was a lone, scraggly tree that looked just strong enough to restrain their mongoose lizards, who looked more interested in the food and water Zuko laid out in front of them than making any escape attempts. And then they began the journey down, carefully planting their feet on rocky ledges that were just big enough to support them. They each kept a hand braced against the cliffside, and after a few pauses for Zuko to turn and help Katara down a step, their other hands ended up holding onto each other. Purely for convenience and safety’s sake. Not for any other reason, certainly nothing that would explain the flush staining their cheeks. 

Katara was breathless by the time they reached the smooth pebbly beach. “I’m ok, just...tired,” she explained when Zuko shot her a worried look. “The new moon and everything.” 

“Alright...is there anything you need? Anything I can help with?”

“You’ve already helped more than enough, Zuko.” The smile she shot him was so fond and full of gratitude that he didn’t know how to respond for a moment, just staring mutely at her. Thankfully she didn’t seem to notice, as she quickly began unpacking her sealskin pack. The sun was minutes away from disappearing under the horizon, but despite her quick pace, Katara didn’t seem worried. Her movements were practiced and easy, almost at odds with how quickly she moved. 

By the time Zuko had spread his blanket and set his pillow, she had her full spread set out: dried strips of fish, a wide, shallow bowl filled to the brim with water, a towel, a change of clothes, a small vial that looked like the one she’d worn with Spirit Oasis water, and a comb that he recognized from their travels all those years ago. The strangest item of the lot was a small box, made from what looked like bone and lined with more sealskin, set on its side with the opening facing him. He had to resist the temptation to ask what it was for, trusting that any questions he had would soon be answered. 

Still, the silence was eating at him, and he couldn’t help asking, “Is that the special water from the Northern Water Tribe?” 

Katara paused in combing out her hair to look at the vial he was pointing at, and a nostalgic smile spread across her face. “It’s not that special, no. It’s just some blessed water from my tribe. It doesn’t have the same magical properties, but it’s still easier to heal with, and it’s just...nice to have.” She didn’t meet his eyes, just continued combing her hair. Then, as the last rays of sunlight vanished, she slowly stood up and walked towards the water, untying her clothes as she moved. 

Zuko couldn’t take his eyes off her, but he didn’t glance anywhere below her neck, more than happy to watch the sun’s golden rays change into the soft silver light of the stars on her brown skin. She glanced over her shoulder at him as the first waves lapped at her toes. “See you on the other side.” 

“Y-yeah...good luck.” 

She flashed one last smile at him before letting her top fall off her shoulders, closely followed by her bottoms, leaving her in her sarashi as she stepped into the water. By the time the water reached her chest, she looked like she was shivering, even though the waters must have been much warmer than what she was used to on the south pole. But she didn’t hesitate, sucking in a big breath of hair before submerging herself completely in the salty waters. 

That was the last Zuko saw of her that night. 

Just as he was about to dive into the water and force her up for air, a snowy white bird unlike anything he’d seen in the Fire Nation soared out of the water, spinning circles against the night sky before landing under the shelter of the sealskin-lined box Katara had set out. That helped him realize it was meant to serve as a birdhouse of sorts, and the bowl of water was a birdbath. He recognized the bird from his travels to the south pole, and at the edge of his memory, he remembered what it was called: a snow petrel. 

Its feathers were dripping with water, and Zuko had to duck away from the droplets that splashed off of it as it puffed itself up and shook itself dry. Only then did it flutter closer to him, landing on the boulder he was leaning against and fluttering its wings as though to show off. That’s when Zuko noticed its eyes: bright blue like the glow of healing water, nothing like the black or golden eyes he’d come to expect from birds. “...Katara?” 

It - _she_ \- answered with another flutter of her wings and a soft noise that sounded like the quacks of the turtleducks. It didn’t make sense, it shouldn’t have been possible, but Zuko could’ve sworn the bird’s noises sounded just like the melody of Katara’s laughs, and that’s what ultimately confirmed to him that it was her. “It really is you...you’re really a bird.” He slowly reached out to her, letting her close the last inch between herself and his crooked fingers. Her feathers were silky against his skin, and she seemed to enjoy his gentle pats, only nipping lightly at him when he tried to tickle her with a laugh. “Sorry, sorry! I just...I can’t believe it’s you...Can you talk?” 

She sang the melody of her laughter at him again, before fluttering over to land on his shoulder, delivering a gentle headbutt to his cheek. “Yeah, I guess that’d be too easy, huh?” Her claws were tiny pinpricks on his shoulder, just sharp enough to reach through his cloak and his robes to lightly scratch at his skin, but he weirdly enjoyed the feeling. Maybe it was the fact that he was the only person outside of her family to see her like this, much less be allowed to have her perch on his shoulder. “So...now what? You’re like this until sunrise?” 

This time her headbutt was more like a nuzzle, and she gave a soft quack that almost sounded sad. “Well...it’s an honor to be able to see you like this. You look beautiful.” Her feathers puffed up in pride, making her look even rounder than she was already, and he couldn’t help laughing at the ticklish feeling of them brushing his cheek. She took off again, her pure white wings bright against the dark night sky. 

Zuko only managed to stay awake for another hour or so, and in that time, he got to watch her catch a fish for a late night snack, fly in different patterns against the sky’s black canvas, and even do a little makeshift waterbending by letting her wings dip into the water and sprinkle drops of water like the world’s gentlest rainfall. When he fell asleep, it was to the sound of her beating wings and soft bird calls set against the waves breaking on the shore. 

The sky was a bright orange when he blinked awake to wet fingers gently brushing his cheek. His bleary eyes could just make out Katara’s smiling face, her thick, wet curls trailing water droplets on the sand between them. She was in her new clothes, and a glance over her shoulder revealed that she’d already packed up her things. “Morning, sleepyhead.” 

“Spirits...sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep so soon,” he groaned, slowly pushing himself into a seated position. 

“Don’t apologize, I already told you how much I appreciate you coming along at all,” she laughed. “Did you sleep well?” 

“As well as I could on rocks,” he grumbled with a small smile. “Did you sleep at all?” 

“For a little bit, yeah.” She dug out her dried fish strips and began chewing on one, holding the rest out to Zuko. He resisted the instinct to grimace at their salty smell, and just shook his head at the offer. “I kind of enjoy it now that I’ve gotten more used to it. But it’s still frustrating not to be able to talk.” 

“I still understood you alright,” he reassured her, digging out his own food from his bag. “It was kind of fun, once I stopped feeling like I was just talking _at_ you. And you were, y’know…” 

A knowing grin quirked Katara’s lips at the way his cheeks colored. “I was what?” 

“You’re really pretty, as a bird.” 

“As opposed to…?” 

“What? Oh, no, of course you’re pretty all the time-” 

“‘Of course’?” 

“That’s not what I-” He cut himself off when giggles started escaping her, and he could only pout as her laughs grew stronger and stronger. But he couldn’t resist smiling whenever she smiled, especially when he noticed again how much her birdsong last night sounded like her laughter. “Anyway...if you ever need someone to help you with this, next time you’re in the Fire Nation…” 

“You know I’ll come to you.” Her hand fell on his, giving it a gentle squeeze against the smooth rocks of the beach. “And you can always come to me for help, too.” 

“Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never written a storyline like this, with a werewolf-esque transformation! I spent way too long looking at different Antarctic animals to find one that suited Katara. I was bummed that I couldn't do an arctic fox or snow leopard, but I hope the snow petrel still fits? 
> 
> Also surprise surprise, there was no way I was gonna get through this week without at least *one* tardy entry lmfao hope you enjoy anyway!


	5. Day 5: Hesitancy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The future is always scary to think about, but it's even scarier when your boyfriend is the Fire Lord.

The moon was a lovely sight in the sky. Even though it only looked half-formed, it covered the capital with a cool, silvery light that perfectly complemented the light breeze tousling Katara’s hair. The roof tiles were cool under them, a much-needed respite from the heat of the Fire Nation’s summer days. 

The rooftop of the palace had become a respite of sorts for them. Ever since they gave into the pull between them and started dating (a word that felt strange to describe a secret romantic relationship involving the Fire Lord), they could no longer trust the royal gardens to truly shield them from passing eyes. It had been Zuko who suggested the rooftops, remembering the childhood days when he would hide up there to escape Azula’s torment or embarrassment in front of Mai. Up here, under the cover of night, they could give each other the kisses that they’d been longing for since his last trip to the South Pole, or her last trip to the Fire Nation capital. 

They’d agreed on keeping their relationship secret when it was still early days, not wanting to make things awkward in their friend group, nor put Katara under the pressures or expectations to marry the Fire Lord. But it had been almost 2 years of sneaking around and brushing hands, stealing kisses behind columns, and fidgeting under the suspicious eyes of Sokka and Suki. Katara felt safe and loved with Zuko in a way she hadn’t really felt with past partners. It made her wonder about the future, _their_ future, and if she could dare to dream of sharing one with him. 

“Something’s on your mind.” 

Katara jumped, her eyes jerking down to meet Zuko’s. His head was resting in her lap, and he finally let himself relax as she gently combed her fingers through his hair. “What do you mean?” 

“You had that look, like you were staring at everything and nothing.” 

“That doesn’t make any sense, Your Majesty.” 

“You know what I meant.” 

Katara snickered at his exaggerated frown, but as her fingers left his hair to gently trace his face, her own face became thoughtful. “I was just wondering...if you’d like to meet my family?”

“I thought I already did? Unless you have a surprise uncle or something?” 

“No, silly, I meant...I meant as my boyfriend?” 

Nervousness crawled up her throat when those golden eyes grew wide and Zuko scrambled to sit up next to her. “You mean...you want everyone to know?” 

“It’s been two years, Zuko. I want everyone to know what you mean to me.” 

“But…” 

“...You don’t want to tell anyone about me?”

“What? No!” His hands came up to gently cup her face, and when their eyes met, she recognized the look he got when he was pushing for something he really believed in during negotiations. “Katara, I’m the luckiest guy alive to be loved by you. I’d be an idiot if I didn’t want to shout that from the rooftops.” 

“But?”

“But it’s not that easy,” he sighed. “You’re the most powerful waterbender in the world and the daughter of the Southern Water Tribe’s chief, and I’m the Fire Lord. As soon as anyone else in the Fire Nation knows about us, they’re going to start asking about our marriage prospects, how that will work between different nations, what will happen when we have kids and the eldest needs to be next in line to the Fire Lord’s throne? You’re technically royalty, but the aristocrats here won’t think of you that way. You’ll still be called a water tribe peasant. I don’t...I don’t want to put you through that.” 

Katara was quiet for a moment, her hands coming up to cover Zuko’s and draw soothing circles on them, her eyes simply watching his. Her voice was quiet when she finally did speak, asking, “... _Do_ you want to marry me? If we make it that long?” 

Now it was his turn to be quiet, his eyes fluttering closed as he tilted forward to gently rest his forehead against hers. Only then did he murmur, “Yeah, I do. If you’ll have me. If you’re ready to be put under a microscope.”

Katara’s soft huff of laughter made Zuko’s bangs flutter against her skin. “We risked our lives fighting with Aang to save the world. I think I can handle some Fire Nation aristocrats.” She brushed a light kiss to his lips before pulling away, making him meet her eyes again. “Are _you_ ready to tell Sokka and my dad we’re dating?” 

She could barely bite back a smile at the sight of the terror in Zuko’s eyes. There were few times when the Southern Water Tribe’s chief and his heir were terrifying to him. He was usually welcomed to the South Pole with open arms, treated like he was part of the family just like the rest of Team Avatar. But revealing Katara’s relationship with him would definitely prove to be one of the exceptions. “...Only if we can hide Sokka’s boomerang and sword before we tell him.” 

Her laughter bubbled out of her, shaking her entire body until she couldn’t do anything but slump into Zuko. His arm automatically wrapped around her shoulders, and she could feel him shaking with his own quieter laughs. For all his worries about what the future held for them, as they sat there with the capital spread out beneath them, safe in each other’s arms, Katara knew with a rare certainty that the future looked a lot less scary with Zuko in it.


	6. Day 6: Affirm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gran-Gran still has doubts about Katara and Zuko's fast-approaching wedding, leading to an uncomfortable conversation about the place the Southern Water Tribe will have in the Fire Nation's royal marriage.

Home would always be the South Pole, and for the moment, it was where Katara lived for most of the year. But as her wedding to Zuko came closer, she was slowly transitioning into living at the Fire Nation royal palace, which would be her new home away from home once she was Fire Lady. 

At that very moment, she was packing for another long stay in the Fire Nation, both for ambassadorial duties and wedding planning. Her grandmother sat quietly watching her pack with assured moves, quick and efficient from all her practice. Katara had noticed how quiet she was compared to earlier in the day, but she didn’t want to break the silence. She had a feeling she knew the reason for her silence, and she preferred the quiet over the uncomfortable conversation that was the alternative. 

So when her grandmother finally piped up with a low “Katara,” she had to stop herself from grimacing. 

“Yeah, Gran-Gran?” 

“...Are you sure about this?” 

“Gran, we’ve talked about this.” 

“My poor old head can’t understand all this, little bird.” She took Katara’s hand in both of hers, her own hands small and wrinkled and soft. “You’re leaving home to become queen of the nation that killed your mother.” 

“It took Zuko’s mom too, Gran-Gran,” Katara sighed. “And I’m not leaving to become Fire Lady. I’m leaving to marry the man I love, and being Fire Lady just happens to be a part of that. But I’ll always be a daughter of the Southern Water Tribe. I’ll still work to help rebuild us. And Zuko has sworn to help every nation heal from what his father did.” She raised their joined hands to press a kiss to her grandmother’s skin with a small, reassuring smile. “I really love him, Gran-Gran. I want to build a life with him. I want to raise our kids to have just as much Southern Water Tribe in them as Fire Nation. When I imagine my future, he’s always there. And he feels the same about me.” 

“Oh, my little bird,” her grandmother murmured, tears shining in her eyes. “The last time you looked so sure about something, I was watching you and your brother fly off to save the Avatar from your future husband.” That broke the tension between them, helpless laughter shaking out of both of them. When their laughs faded, Gran-Gran stared at her granddaughter with a new consideration. “...I want you to take something with you.”

* * *

The first person Katara saw as the ship pulled into port was Zuko, waiting at the very edge of the dock like he always did. As soon as the ramp came down, he was halfway up, arms ready for Katara to jump into them with a gleeful laugh. “Welcome back, my queen.” 

“Hi, love.” She pulled away just enough to smile into those golden eyes, heart swelling in her chest. “I hope you didn’t miss me too much.” 

“You know I always do,” he chuckled. She only allowed him a quick kiss before she gently nudged him back down the ramp, clearing the way for the rest of the crew to disembark. “How was your trip?” 

“It was a little rough when we left the polar waters, but otherwise it couldn’t have gone better.” 

“And how’s your family?” 

“They’re alright.” She tried to smile, but it must not have reached her eyes, because Zuko frowned in response. “It doesn’t look like they were alright.” 

“They’re fine, honestly, it’s just…” Her fingers began fiddling at the golden band on his hand as she searched for the words to tell him about her grandmother’s worries. “Gran-Gran still had her doubts about...us.” 

“She still doesn’t like me?” He didn’t sound surprised, just a bit resigned, and her heart clenched at the sound of his disappointment. 

“That’s not it, she thinks you’re wonderful. But she still doesn’t like me being so far from home...and she can’t wrap her head around me being Fire Lady.” A rueful smile tugged at her lips as she glanced up at her fiance’s eyes. “Honestly, I still can’t either.” 

“Katara-” 

“We’re not delaying the wedding,” she interrupted firmly. “I couldn’t be more sure about marrying you, and nothing will change that. I just...never thought I’d be queen of the Fire Nation. And neither did Gran-Gran.” 

“I don’t want her to feel like I’m stealing you away from your family.” 

“She doesn’t. If anything, she feels like I’m running away, because I won’t let anyone talk me out of this, including you.” Zuko pressed a kiss to the back of her hand in response, a grateful smile on his lips. “And besides,” she continued, “she’ll come around. She basically already has.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah...she, um...she gave me my mom’s wedding dress.” 

Zuko froze, pulling Katara up short and accidentally jerking her around to face him. “She’s letting you wear your mom’s wedding dress?” 

She nodded, feeling almost shy at the sight of his happy surprise. “She...she told me that my parents had decided on it when I was born. I would get my mom’s wedding dress, and Sokka would get Gran-Gran’s engagement ring to give to whoever he marries. But after my mom died, my dad decided he wanted her ring to go to Sokka instead.” 

Their slow walk had brought them to a balcony overlooking the courtyard that connected the palace grounds’ gate to the palace itself. Katara moved ahead of Zuko, her hands coming up to grip at the balcony railing and her eyes fixed to the horizon. He stayed behind to lean against the doorframe, knowing she didn’t want him to see her face when she continued talking. It was a strange habit of hers, but one he’d learned to work with, and she was grateful for it. 

“The thing is, we never knew about it. About the dress nor the ring. And when I became engaged to you, I think a part of her was hoping we wouldn’t go through with the marriage, so she didn’t tell me about the dress. I don’t know what she thought happened...maybe that you’d coerced me somehow, or I felt like I couldn’t say no. But she couldn’t figure out how to talk to me about it until this trip, and I think she finally realized how much I want this...how much I want you.” She finally looked back at Zuko, her eyes drinking in the way the orange rays of the sunset bathed him in a warmth that softened the sharp lines of his face and made his golden eyes glow. His voice was soft when he spoke, but she could still hear him over the bustle of the palace grounds below. “What did you tell her?” 

“I...I told her that I wanted to build a life with you. That I couldn’t imagine my future without you. That I would make sure our children would grow up with as much Southern Water Tribe in their lives as Fire Nation. That just because I’m moving doesn’t mean I’ll forget where I come from.” 

As she spoke, he pushed himself up from the doorframe, stepping up until he could wrap his arms around her waist and rest his forehead against hers. “Did you tell her I feel the same about you?” 

“Of course.” They were silent for a moment, happy to simply breathe in each other’s air. When Katara spoke up, her voice was so quiet that her words just barely managed to reach Zuko’s ears. “Is it ok?” 

“Is what ok?” 

“For me to wear my mother’s wedding dress? A Southern Water Tribe wedding dress?” 

He pulled away to give her a confused look, and for some reason, that just reassured her even more that she was marrying the right man. “If that’s what you want, then of course it’s ok.” 

“It’s just...I know when I marry you, I’ll become Fire Lady. But I still want our wedding to be about us, and where we both come from. I want to still be Katara, the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe.” 

“That won’t change, even when you become Fire Lady,” Zuko murmured. “I fell in love with Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, I proposed to Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, and I’ll be married to Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. Anyone who tries to argue with that will have to go through me.” 

“Not unless I get to them first,” she said, with a sweet smile that conflicted with the threat of her words. “Now come on, I brought some sea prunes for you and I don’t want them to go bad.” 

“Oh no, I take it back!” Zuko playfully whined. “Sea prunes weren’t part of the deal!” 

Katara only answered with a laugh, her laughter and his whines echoing in the palace hallways as she dragged him to their bedroom.


	7. Day 7: Rebirth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A visit to Omashu sheds some fresh light on Katara and Zuko's relationship.

There used to be a routine whenever they visited Omashu: say hello to Bumi, go for a ride on the mail ramps, a feast with Bumi for dinner, and then the following day was spent wandering the city and seeing what was new since their last visit, dotted with any meetings of them had to attend. 

But as the months after the War ending turned into years, Bumi was fast-approaching an age where simply moving from his bed to the throne room was difficult, much less enduring the rough bumps of the mail ramps. On their recent visits, he would pass on riding the ramps in favor of sitting comfortably and watching Team Avatar slide through them. His portions at dinner were becoming smaller, and he preferred passing his time at the new Omashu museum and admiring works of art from new, younger artists in the city. 

Which was how the group found themselves at the museum after a shorter mail riding session this trip. “I don’t want to spend too much time doing things that Bumi can’t do,” Aang explained with a worried frown. “It’s already impressive that he’s lived this long. Every trip we make here could be the last one I see him on.” 

“We get it, Twinkle Toes,” Toph assured him, showing a surprising amount of empathy. “He’s your oldest friend, literally. Of course you want to spend time with him. But I don’t think there’s much for me to enjoy at a museum, so…” 

“We can come with you, Toph!” Sokka suddenly piped up, earning a confused look from Suki. “What else did you want to do in the city?” 

Katara had to bite back a laugh at the sudden, and frustrated, understanding dawning on Suki’s face. Her brother had never been one for history or art, so it made sense that he would leap on an excuse to escape something like a museum. 

With the group down to three, and Aang understandably sticking with Bumi, Katara found herself wandering the museum alone with Zuko. They’d waited until everyone else had gone their separate ways, before they let their fingers tangle together with shy smiles. He’d never struck her as the sort to particularly appreciate art, so it was a pleasant surprise to see how intently he’d read each painting description, and how long he would linger next to pictures and sculptures that really caught his eye. It wasn’t until Katara had been suddenly brought up short by him stopping to peer at a painting a few times that she quietly withdrew her hand from his, leaving his side with a quick kiss on the cheek to reassure him she wasn’t upset at all.

They fell naturally into a pattern with each room they visited, wordlessly splitting up to peruse the paintings by themselves, before joining back up and quietly discussing their favorite piece as they walked to the next area, their hands naturally drawn to each other’s as if they were pulled by magnets. Katara loved looking at the different artifacts and evolving art styles of the Earth Kingdom, but it wasn’t until they reached a room dedicated to one of the oldest periods of Earth Kingdom history that she was really pulled in by what she saw. 

It was a room entirely dedicated to the legendary couple, Oma and Shu. Ancient watercolor paintings adorned the length of the largest wall, depicting their epic love story, the first earthbending done by humans, and the peace brought by the sheer force of Oma’s grief over Shu’s death. On the opposite wall were replicas of the carvings that had adorned the tomb in the Cave of Two Lovers, especially valuable now that the labyrinthine tunnels had been closed off by the Fire Nation army years ago. 

The paintings stole Katara’s attention, being completely new to her as opposed to the distantly familiar carvings. She still remembered the story, a blush rising to her cheeks at the embarrassing memory of how she and Aang had handled their time stuck in the cave together. But she’d never seen it told in such vivid color as what she saw in the paintings, the bright brushstrokes taking her breath away and making tears rise to her eyes in their telling of the lovers’ tragedy. 

The series of paintings culminated in a large, elaborate portrait a bit more modern in style. It showed Oma and Shu, in her bright red dress and his calming blue robes, reaching for each other. But they weren’t separated by their warring villages, or the mountain that stood between them. Shu was rising into the sky on golden clouds, and Oma stood on the tallest pillar of rocks her power could make, rising onto the tips of her toes to reach for her lover. But it wasn’t enough. Their fingers were separated by the slimmest sliver of sky. Below Oma was a sea of orange, the two villages finally becoming one as the first citizens of the great city. Maybe that was why, instead of grief at their separation, Oma’s face was lined with sad understanding, and Shu smiled with pride at what his lover had accomplished. 

“Katara? What’s wrong?” 

She jumped at Zuko’s voice suddenly coming from right beside her, and was startled to realize her cheeks were wet with tears. “I don’t...I don’t know.” 

“Are you crying because of the paintings?”

It hadn’t occurred to her as a possibility. She wasn’t one to cry at stories, especially ones told through paintings as opposed to a performance. But as soon as Zuko asked her that, she knew that was the answer. “I guess so...but I don’t know why.” 

“It’s a sad story. I bet a lot of other people have cried because of it.” He gently wiped at a tear that had managed to trail all the way to her chin. 

“Yeah, maybe.” She absently wiped at her cheeks while she stared at the final painting, absorbed in the host of emotions somehow conveyed through brushstrokes. “Hey, Zuko?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Do you think they could’ve been reincarnated? Like the Avatar?” 

“I dunno...I’ve never really thought about it.” She flushed when she looked at him and found him watching her instead of looking at the painting, a small smile on his lips. “Why do you ask?” 

“I just want them to have some sort of happy ending together. It’s nice to think that they could have a life together in a different lifetime. Their love was only prevented by things out of their control, and even then, they did everything they could to make it work. It just...doesn’t feel fair.” 

“Life usually isn’t,” Zuko sighed, his eyes examining the painting. “But maybe it doesn’t matter if they were reincarnated or not.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Well...even if they didn’t get their happy ending, their story proves that true love will find a way to survive, no matter what might stand it its way. Maybe their story gave strength to other couples who had to fight for their love to work, or whose love took awhile to work out.” Their eyes met again, and Katara’s breath caught at the hope and fondness in his golden depths. “Kind of like us, in a way.” 

Her mouth opened to express her confusion, but as her eyes flickered back to the colorful painting, she realized she understood what he meant. The lovers were represented in red and blue. They were separated by a war, a war they had to fight to end. Even the cave of glittering green crystals fit, the memory of the Crystal Catacombs flooding back to her. 

Tears pricked at her eyes again, but this time they were tears of joy and relief. She pressed closer to Zuko, clinging to his arm as she propped her chin on his shoulder. “Hey.” 

“Hm?”

“I hope we get a happy ending.” 

His scarred cheek rested against her hair, and she could hear his smile in his reply. “I want nothing more.” 

“Me, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is HEAVILY inspired by these tumblr posts:  
> https://marsreds.tumblr.com/post/162297161644/its-called-the-cave-of-two-lovers-not-the-cave  
> https://artcraawl.tumblr.com/post/175421543890/doing-something-a-little-different-for-the  
> I basically just combined the idea of The Cave of Two Lovers foreshadowing and directly paralleling Zuko and Katara's relationship, with the second post's idea of them of being reincarnations of ancient, tragic lovers. I even got the idea of them talking about it in an art gallery from that fanart, so uh...basically no creativity of my own with this one, oops.
> 
> Whew, I'm done! Sorry for the tardiness of the last two entries, the end of Zutara week coincided with a big event at our temple that took up our whole weekend, so I didn't get a chance to work on this challenge until yesterday and today. 
> 
> This week definitely hasn't been built of my best work, by any means! But it was kind of nice to be able to post the first drafts of these stories without worrying too much about the narrative flow or story structure or anything else outside of just enjoying writing these characters' interactions. I love these two so much, and I'm so glad I could finally be a part of this time-honored fandom tradition! ^.^

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, including any of its characters or world-building. Please do not copy and paste any of this work on other websites, nor plagiarize any part of it. Thank you.


End file.
